Chris Gilson, Paul Rainford and Amy Mollett take a look at the week in political blogging.

Weekend

Andrew Rawnsley argues that the next Labour leader ignores Blair’s blueprint at their peril, while  Liberal Conspiracy assesses Tony Blair’s claim that Gordon Brown lost the election in 2010 because he abandoned New Labour principles.

The Staggers reports on a new twist in the phone hacking scandal and analyses David Miliband’s vision for the Labour party. Left Foot Forward suggests that David Miliband is trailing his brother Ed when it comes to securing the gay Labour vote, while thetorydiary reports that the elder Miliband is the candidate most feared by Conservative Party members.

Liberal Conspiracy also looks at the mounting problems being faced by Nick Clegg from within his own Party, as does The Coffee House

Liberal Conspiracy rounds up the media’s coverage of Coulson-gate and asks whether the BBC is working with the government on cuts coverage.

Tribune argues that despite Britain’s GDP going up by the highest rate since 2001, the poorest will lose out on this growth.  Next Left comments on reports that George Osborne is looking at weakening the recommendations on disclosure of bankers’ pay.

Though Cowards Flinch looks at what is new about Cameron’s Conservatism and The Coffee House comments on Michael Gove’s decision to introduce the baccalaureate for 16 year-olds. Labour Uncut blogs on the defection of a senior Tory councillor to Labour in protest at Michael Gove’s cuts to the Building Schools for the Future programme.

openDemocracy weighs up Douglas Carswell’s proposed STV amendment to the AV referendum bill. Mark Pack looks at how the new parliamentary boundary rules will work. UK Polling Report documents the weekend polls.

Iain Martin at WSJ.com argues that Anglo-French military cooperation is “perfectly sensible”.

Monday

Toby Thomas at Left Foot Forward comments on the further Coalition divisions created by the Andy Coulson affair, whilst the BBC’s response to the accusations that it did not cover the Coulson story quickly enough makes interesting reading over at Liberal Conspiracy.

Left Futures discusses the doom that Osbornomics may bring, whilst Rupert Read at Left Foot Forward comments on the very real possibility of a Green-run council in Norwich.

Asa Bennett at Party Lines considers the small print of the voting reform bill, and the Adam Smith Institute Blog considers the bills that it would most like to see approved.

Tuesday

Tim Montgomerie at ConservativeHome looks at the government’s new immigration policies, while politicalbetting.com discusses the possible replacement of William Hague as Foreign Minister, and Iain Dale writes in praise of Theresa May.

Paul Goodman at ConservativeHome criticises the government for not appointing more non-specialist Conservative MPs to ministerial positions. Mark Davies, guest blogging on Left Foot Forward writes in support of the government’s mental health policies. Claire French at Left Foot Forward blogs on the importance of investment in education, but Aaron Porter at Left Foot Forward says that the coalition cannot afford to raise university fees.

David Allen Green tracks the development of the phone tapping scandal since last week, and Guido Fawkes speculates on Andy Coulson’s future at Number 10. Malc at Better Nation floats the idea of an SNP-Labour coalition after the next Scottish elections.

Sunny Hundal at Liberal Conspiracy is unhappy with the recent criticisms of Ed Miliband by Labour figures. Samira Shackle at The Staggers says that now, 1 in 5 Liberal Democrat voters are likely to switch their votes to Labour. Jonathan Todd at Labour Uncut looks at the challenges that will be facing the Shadow Chancellor from October.

Hopi Sen discusses his vote for Labour leader. Shamik Das at Left Foot Forward says that David Miliband is ahead in the polls. James Forsyth at Coffee House examines infighting within the Labour party. Sunny Hundal at Liberal Conspiracy says that Ed Miliband will appeal to wider Labour party supporters in future general elections, as opposed to just the centre as David Miliband does.

Wednesday

Dr Eamonn Butler at The Adam Smith Institute’s blog examines whether the tax system is fit for purpose, while Rachel Reeves at Labour Uncut discusses the government’s economic policies. Iain Martin at the Wall Street Journal looks at what might happen if William Hague were to resign, and Tim Montgomerie at ConservativeHome reckons that Tory MPs may be too upbeat.

Joss Garman at Left Foot Forward examines the Milibands’ green credentials, and Guido says that David Miliband is already planning his victory party.

Kiran Stacey at the FT’s Westminster Blog reviews Nick Clegg’s performance in PMQs today – he refuses to back the scandal stricken Andy Coulson. James Forsyth at Coffee House says that Jack Straw’s performance at PMQs was ‘not an improvement’ over previous performances.

Eamonn Butler at Coffee House says that the part-privatisation of the Royal Mail has to be done by the government, as Tim Montgomerie at Conservative Home says that British people really want a referendum on the EU.

Thursday

Rowenna Davis at The Staggers asks if women can make it to the top of the Labour party.

Sunny Hundal at Liberal Conspiracy continues to report on the Coulson-saga; world media are now taking notice, while Dan Hodges at Labour Uncut warns the left to not get to carried away with the affair Mike Smithson at polticalbetting.com wonders if the announced today Standards and Privileges Committee investigation will ‘nail Coulson’.

Paul Goodman, blogging at ConservativeHome looks at the tensions within the coalition over banking reforms. Samira Shackle at The Staggers says that the coalition is ‘watering down’ its pledge to end child detention. Peter Hoskin at Coffee House says that Nick Clegg is now downplaying the coalition’s cuts, while Nick Robinson weighs in their harsh reality.

Alex Barker at the FT’s Westminster Blog discusses the latest Tory thinking on the graduate tax and John Snow at Snowblog critiques the size of the fine that the FSA has levied on Goldman Sachs.

Jonathan Isaby at ConservativeHome says that Boris Johnson is challenging Theresa May on her proposed immigration cap, saying that it will have a disproportionately negative effect on London. Mike Smithson at politicalbetting.com says that the Conservative’s poll ratings remain stable despite the scandal.

Friday

Liberal Conspiracy comments on MPs uniting against the ‘arrogant’ media and the news that the Tory-run Derby City Council has decided to lobby against spending cuts. Hopi Sen takes a look at Osbourne’s promise of further cuts to the welfare budget, as Liberal Democrat MPs break ranks to speak out against the move.

The TUC warn that cuts will hurt the private sector as much as public services. Paul Goodman at thetorydiary spells out lessons for the Coalition in countering increasingly vocal criticism from Labour.

The Coffee House reports that Boris Johnson has confirmed that he will run for a second term as mayor of London in a contest that politicalbetting.com suggests will be a re-run of 2008. Tribune attacks the Conservative’s alignment with shambolic parties in the Europe and notes that Labour and the Liberal Democrats will suffer most from constituency boundary changes.

Zoe Gannon at Left Foot Forward argues that Labour should support the introduction of AV. Conor’s Commentary remarks on the unoriginality of Michael Gove’s new technical schools plan. ResPublica lays out a potential solution to the Baby Boomer crisis. The Staggers asks whether Trident is New Labour’s shibboleth

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